• Oprah's departure: What does it mean?
  On Friday, Oprah Winfrey announced that she is ending her daytime talk show because "it's time to leave." The earth continues to shudder.

• Editorials on breast cancer recommendations
  The following editorial appeared in the Dallas Morning News on Friday, Nov. 20:

• The cost of dropping out to all of us
  It will take a significant change in policy for this nation to overcome its appalling school dropout problem, but maybe the place to start is coming up with a good slogan.

• Obama's excessive ruminations
  The following editorial appeared in the Dallas Morning News on Thursday, Nov. 19:

• U.S. military seeks muscle and brains
  The following editorial appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Thursday, Nov. 19:

• Asking questions
  The following editorial appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer on Thursday, Nov. 19:

• Courts can handle 9-11's mix of war and crime
  Reasonable, intelligent people can disagree over whether five accused 9-11 conspirators should be tried in federal courts in New York City for that day's horrendous destruction.

• Stronger Hyundai, Kia aren't likely to fade soon
  Anybody who dismisses Hyundai's recent success as a cash-for-clunkers-fueled aberration is in for a rude surprise in 2010.

• Bears' short passing game one area that's impressive
  Instead of continuing to beat their helmets against eight-man fronts, the Bears are coming to a realization: They don't have to run the ball.

• A new mammogram Rx
  The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Thursday, Nov. 19:

• Easy explanations for the Bears' silence
  You probably have heard Bears general manager Jerry Angelo, coach Lovie Smith and quarterback Jay Cutler turned down an opportunity to talk with Bob Costas for NBC's Sunday night pregame show.

• Ricky Williams steps up, but Dolphins offense needs more than him to succeed
  There was an eye-popping moment during the Dolphins game Thursday night when Miami's offense deployed in a five-wide receiver alignment, a look that typically suggests pass-happy, wide-open, light-the-scoreboard football.

• Dolphins' defense rises when it counts
  It's not about him, it's about the team, Joey Porter insisted this week. On Thursday night, at key points in the game, it was about Porter and Randy Starks because what they did was about the Dolphins stuffing Carolina's offense.

• Resurgent Ricky epitomizes what's old is new again for Dolphins
  CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Here's why Ricky Williams might be the most amazing story in football right now: He's doing things he never did before. No one expected that from him. Not at 32, in his second football act, after all the miles and all the stories.

• Soccer's David Beckham has survived the melodrama
  When David Beckham made his midsummer return to Los Angeles, he understood the mess awaiting him. He knew he was coming back to a team desperate for answers.

• Joe Mays might be in the middle as Eagles shift defense again
  The San Diego game was the first time all season the Eagles' defense was unable to force a turnover, a situation that had something to do with Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and maybe even more to do with all the guys playing unfamiliar roles, filling injury gaps.

• Once unpredictable Eagles have become predictable
  Even though Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg rarely stand together on the sideline, they are closely linked by both the headphones over their ears and the spaces between their ears.

• Owner Tom Hicks' plan not welcome news for Rangers' fans
  Not to stray far from that what-the-heck-happened storyline that carries over from Green Bay last week to Arlington on Sunday.

• Giants' Tim Lincecum wins NL Cy Young with a spreadsheet
  Don't know how baseball's new day of statistical analysis is treating you, but it's high noon where Tim Lincecum lives.

• Kansas soon may be involved in coaching merry-go-round discussions
  Even as losses piled up, Kansas wasn't part of the late autumn coaching-carousel discussion. Mark Mangino, the thinking went, banked enough equity in the program's successive bowl seasons, to withstand even a last-place finish in the division.

• Swinney aims to get Clemson players to focus on its big chance Saturday
  Dabo Swinney has this championship thing figured out. Minutes after it became apparent this past Saturday that Clemson needed to beat Virginia to clinch the division title, Swinney put everything in perspective.

• Much has changed for TCU
  Until now, I've had one brush with TCU football, and it wasn't good.

• Rangers owner Tom Hicks tries a magic act with Rangers
  With a Friday deadline for proposals fast approaching, Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks revealed Wednesday his plan to assemble a group of local investors.

• A few hits, a lot of misses for Texas A&M
  Given the circumstances, the question was unavoidable.

• The end shouldn't be the beginning
  Apparently few things are as entertaining as watching the Earth shake itself to pieces.